UPDATE ON 18 NOVEMBER 2023: Gregory was taken to hospital and has ended his hunger strike.
But you can still support him. You can ask everyone you know to write to Anthony Albanese and tell him that he needs to step up and be the leader. And you can sign and share Gregory Andrew’s petition.
“That way, when I’m back to good health, I can walk back proudly and strongly to the front of Parliament House on behalf of thousands of Australians and hand it to Anthony Albanese. He may have he ignored me for the last two weeks on the lawns of Parliament House. But I can tell him I was never alone. You were all with me in calling for a safe future.”
Gregory Andrews in a blogpost on 18 November 2023
Climate hunger striking Gregory Andrews wrote on 13 November 2013:
Something really valuable that you could do today is take a few minutes and write to PM Albo to tell him that you’re behind me 100% on the need for our government to take the action that’s needed for Australia and all countries to have a safe future.
Here’s link to the PM’s contact page: https://www.pm.gov.au/contact-your-pm
Get into it! Write your own letter, or – if you are in a hurry – simply cut and paste your preferred wordings from the two letters which are enclosed below for your inspiration:
Urgent appeal for climate action and dialogue with Gregory Andrews
The Honorable Anthony Albanese
Prime Minister of Australia
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Australia
Dear Prime Minister Albanese,
I am an Australian citizen and a parent of three teenagers.
I am writing to you because I am deeply troubled by the current state of our climate crisis. This crisis is no longer a distant threat but an immediate and pressing emergency.
The recent actions of Gregory Andrews, who is now on day 13 of his climate hunger strike outside Parliament House, highlight the gravity and urgency of this situation.
The fact that Mr. Andrews, a former Australian diplomat and a father, feels compelled to take such a drastic step to draw attention to this issue is a profound testament to the desperation and concern felt by many Australians. Millions of Australians share his fears and his anxiety.(1)
You will be well aware that the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has described our current situation as a ‘climate collapse’ – an assessment that I find deeply worrying.
Scientists have reported that in October 2023, the monthly global average temperature climbed above the 2°C mark – meaning: the world is now 2°C warmer that it was before the industrial revolution.
This was the limit the Australian government and the governments of the world committed to that we would not exceed. Every day we continue burning fossil fuels, we take another step towards the kind of irreversable, escalating climate breakdown that threatens to cause complete havoc in the world within our childrens’ lifetime.(2)
As Australians, we are already witnessing the tangible and devastating effects of climate change in our own backyard, from unprecedented bushfires and extreme weather events to the Great Barrier Reef’s bleaching and mass extinction of species.
Mr. Andrews has put his own health at risk to emphasise the need for immediate and decisive action. His demands, which include putting an end to subsidising fossil fuels, phasing out coal and gas exports, ending native forest logging, updating the EPBC Act to reflect climate impacts, and releasing details of the Climate Risk Assessment, are not just his alone. They are also mine, and many others’. They resonate with the concerns of scientists, climate activists, and a majority of ordinary Australians.
Even though mainstream media has been silent about his hunger strike, already 3,500 Australians have supported his petition and many more will be watching his hunger strike unfold in the days to come.
As our Prime Minister, I urge you to listen to what Gregory Andrews is calling for. The least you can do is listen. This is not just about one man’s protest – it is about the future of our nation, our environment, and the global community.
Show us that you are the leader Australia needs at this critical moment. First of all, be a kind human being and show Mr. Andrews the respect he deserves. That won’t cost you anything. Simply go outside Parliament and have a chat with him. This would make a difference, and it could be a start for you to trigger a new and bigger conversation with the Australian people.
The thing is, you need to find a new way to talk with the Australian people about these matters. Make a real effort to start a process that will lead to something no other Australian Prime Minister has succeeded in doing: bring the nation together on this topic.
The narrative around the climate and ecological emergency needs to be completely redefined, because it has been distorted by misrepresentation and disinformation.
Tip: Have a chat with the executives at the ABC and SBS and get them to assist you on this mission. Remember, it is actually their duty as public broadcasters to do this kind of work in an emergency situation.
Someone in power needs to break it to the Australian people – the hard truth – which is: In order to end climate chaos, we need to end fossil fuels. I believe that ‘someone’ could be you. Your actions now will not only impact our immediate situation but will also define your legacy – and our collective legacy – for generations to come.
From here on, in your daily work in Parliament, put climate first in every decision you make. This is an emergency, and you need to communicate this both through your words and your actions. Because government can’t do this alone: Every one of us will have to put other things aside at this moment to do what is necessary.
A majority of the population elected you and your Party to run our country on the promise that you would take action on climate. Now we have come to realise that your policies are not doing that. On the contrary, you continue to permit the opening of one coal mine and gas project after the other, and you continue to support the fossil fuel industry with billions of dollars every year.
If we are to avoid the worst impacts of climate chaos, we must come together. But that will never happen unless we have a visionary leader, who will inspire us and who dares to set the new agenda for Australia and for the world: how we steer our societies towards a fossil-free and more sustainable, secure future.(3)
Therefore, Prime Minister, your leadership in this critical moment is crucial. We need a visionary leader who can inspire and guide Australia towards a sustainable and secure future. The current approach to climate policy, including the support of new fossil fuel projects, is at odds with the urgent action required to address the climate emergency.
I urge you to reconsider these policies and lead our nation in a bold, new direction that prioritises fast decarbonisation and drawdown in every decision. The legacy of your leadership and the future of our country depend on these critical choices.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.
Kind regards
Mik Aidt
Director, Centre for Climate Safety
(1) ABC News on 7 September 2023: “Eco-anxiety looms as headspace survey reveals young people want climate change action. 53 per cent feel fearful of the future due to the effects of climate change. 34 per cent are hesitant to have children due to climate change. 59 per cent agree or strongly agree not enough is being done to address climate change.”
(2) The impacts of global warming exceeding 2°C are extensively discussed in climate literature. The IPCC reports, especially the Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C, provide detailed analyses of the consequences of different levels of warming, including the 2°C threshold. These reports discuss the escalating risks and potential for irreversible impacts on ecosystems, biodiversity, and human societies.
(3) António Guterres in a tweet on X on 12 November 2023: “We cannot address the climate catastrophe without tackling its root cause: fossil fuel dependence. Leaders must act now to save humanity from the worst impacts of climate chaos and profit from the extraordinary benefits of renewable energy.”
SAMPLE LETTER:
Dear Prime Minister,
I am deeply concerned with the inadequate approach to climate change that the Government is taking. Climate change is no longer a future threat. It’s an emergency that’s happening now. The UN Secretary General is describing it as climate collapse.
I am deeply concerned that Gregory Andrews has been driven to undertake a #ClimateHungerStrike outside Parliament. I am concerned for him. But I am also concerned for my future, Australian’s children and all eight billion people on the planet.
Please Prime Minister, listen to what Gregory Andrews is calling for. Show him and all of us you are the Prime Minister we need you to be.
Sincerely,
Copied from Gregory Andrews’ blog.
———- Auto reponse ———
From: Prime Minister of Australia via Prime Minister of Australia
Date: Mon, 13 Nov 2023 at 23:03
Subject: Your message to the Prime Minister
To: Mik Aidt
Thank you for your message to the Prime Minister at pm.gov.au.
All items of correspondence are read and carefully considered, however not all items will receive a response. When responses are sent, these items will be sent via the same method in which they are received; via email or Australia Post.
In some cases, where appropriate, your correspondence will be referred to other Federal Ministers or state/territory governments for their consideration. This will occur when the issue raised falls within their responsibilities.
This is an automatically generated email. Please do not reply to this email as this address is not monitored.
If you have any problems with this service please contact the Web Administrator through the site feedback service at https://www.pmc.gov.au/contact-us#contact-form
Submitted on Monday, 13 November, 2023 – 23:03
Here’s link to the Prime Minister’s contact page: https://www.pm.gov.au/contact-your-pm
This beautiful message from Charles is one bit of hundreds I’ve received in response to requests to sign my #ClimateHungerStrike petition and write to PM @AlboMP.
— Gregory Andrews (@LyrebirdDream) November 15, 2023
Please help me make this worth it and get as many more names as possible. Sign here.👇🏽https://t.co/ZsUEhb9T58 pic.twitter.com/FwKfsyLe8y
Charles’ message to the Prime Minister:
“Dear Anthony
I hope you don’t mind my calling you by your first name. It is so much more personal – and this is a very personal and heartfelt request.
It’s simple. Would you please go over the lawn and pay a visit to Gregory Andrews who is on a hunger strike there (in front of Parliament House) and he is getting very weak?
Just have a conversation with him. Please. He is human. You are human. Please just give him a listening ear, whether you agree with him or not. A married man with teenage children taking such drastic action at least needs to be given the dignity of being listened to.
Thank you and God bless you.”
It’s time for then Australian government to take responsibility. Australia is the world’s third-largest fossil fuel exporter. When I think about what that means for my children and for the world's children, it's unbearable. On @abcnews.👇🏽 https://t.co/A8f6shWzwC
— Gregory Andrews (@LyrebirdDream) November 15, 2023